My first time pregnancy story
I am pregnant for the first time and I live on a small remote island. This is my story.
BLOG Chapters
Pregnancy blog: front page
Chapter 1: I'm pregnant! The initial emotions
Chapter 2: Sharing our good news
Chapter 3: The unwelcomed symptoms of pregnancy
Chapter 4: Initial midwifery appointment
Chapter 5: Hello baby!
Chapter 6: A healthy growing baby
Chapter 7: The happy second trimester
Chapter 8: Gifts & preparations
Chapter 9: Our plans for home birth
Chapter 10: The start of the third trimester
Chapter 11: Birthing options - a decision finally made
Chapter 12: An unplanned trip to the hospital
Chapter 13: Newest third trimester sensations
Chapter 14: Last minute preparations & more gifts
Chapter 15: A scare! Has the baby moved today?
Chapter 16: We are ready for the home birth
Chapter 17: The woes of late stage pregnancy
Chapter 18: The excruciating waiting stage!
> Chapter 19: Scanning & sweeping
Chapter 20: Trapped in town (an indefinite hospital stay)
Chapter 21: Baby's birthday! My delivery & birth story
Chapter 22: A quick recovery
Chapter 23: Final thoughts. . .
Chapter 1: I'm pregnant! The initial emotions
Chapter 2: Sharing our good news
Chapter 3: The unwelcomed symptoms of pregnancy
Chapter 4: Initial midwifery appointment
Chapter 5: Hello baby!
Chapter 6: A healthy growing baby
Chapter 7: The happy second trimester
Chapter 8: Gifts & preparations
Chapter 9: Our plans for home birth
Chapter 10: The start of the third trimester
Chapter 11: Birthing options - a decision finally made
Chapter 12: An unplanned trip to the hospital
Chapter 13: Newest third trimester sensations
Chapter 14: Last minute preparations & more gifts
Chapter 15: A scare! Has the baby moved today?
Chapter 16: We are ready for the home birth
Chapter 17: The woes of late stage pregnancy
Chapter 18: The excruciating waiting stage!
> Chapter 19: Scanning & sweeping
Chapter 20: Trapped in town (an indefinite hospital stay)
Chapter 21: Baby's birthday! My delivery & birth story
Chapter 22: A quick recovery
Chapter 23: Final thoughts. . .
Chapter 19: Scanning & sweeping
It was Thursday the 27th September and we were on the morning boat to Kirkwall. We were heading to the maternity unit to have another growth scan for the baby to settle the concern identified on the paper chart which showed that they hadn’t grown for a couple of weeks. The midwives had rearranged an appointment for one of the other mums-to-be so that we could have this scan as soon as possible, seeing as our due date was only two days away.
We had the scan at 1.20pm with a trainee sonographer nurse taking various measurements of the baby’s head, leg bones, umbilical cord and various organs. I had to lay on my back whilst they were pushing and poking the scan nozzle thingy into my abdomen which was an uncomfortable experience being 39 weeks and 5 days pregnant.
The results came back at 2.30pm and we were asked to have a chat with a consulting doctor. The doctor told us that the scan results were good, that the baby was growing well and they now amended the result on our paper growth chart. . . James and I looked at each other a little perplexed and then asked the doctor, given that everything was good, why were we now having a consultation with him and not talking to a midwife, as we had done when everything was well in the previous scan.
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This is when the doctor explained that despite the baby being well the concern was with the low level of amniotic fluid surrounding the baby. He advised that this meant the baby is more likely to become distressed and there might be more complications at the birth. He also explained that he’d be worried if the baby is overdue - under normal circumstances they’d be happy to let a first time mum reach pregnancy week 42 before attempting to induce labour, but in my case anything past week 41 was dangerous for the baby and if we reached that point we would be asked to travel to a hospital in Aberdeen to look at induction options. For now, however, the doctor was still happy for us to have a home birth on Eday, as we had planned.
I was asked to have membrane sweep that day and afterwards the midwife explained that I hadn’t begun to dilate yet but this procedure would help encourage labour and, that if it was successful, the baby may show up in the next couple of days. At 2.50pm I was connected to an ECG machine for baby’s heart rate monitoring. It was slow at first as the baby was asleep but once I rolled on my side, their heartbeat picked up and the midwives were happy to discharge us.
We had further sweeps, ECG and ultrasound scans scheduled for Saturday (our due date), Tuesday and Thursday next week and then we left the hospital at 3.20pm. There was no morning boat coming back to Eday so we had to catch our evening boat departing Kirkwall at 4.00pm. I felt crampy and could barely walk after my sweep so the midwife offered to give us a lift to the pier for which I am very grateful for! We caught the boat and came back home to the two excited waggly tails.
I couldn’t help but feel that I somehow let the baby down. Was I not drinking enough water? Was I eating the wrong things? Eating too much or not enough? . . . I was feeling really low and sad thinking that the baby might be poorly, even though James kept assuring me that it wasn’t the case. I wanted to have the baby as soon as possible and was hoping that the earlier sweep helped move things along.
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At 3.00pm the following day we had a phone call and the doctor informed us that after having a closer look at the test results and a sleepless night he had changed his mind and would very much rather see us in the hospital for delivery. He asked us to come in to the maternity unit on Saturday as we already had a membrane sweep appointment booked in for that day and advised that we would not be going home until the baby comes , so we had better make arrangements. Yep, we were being admitted to the maternity unit!
After checking the weather conditions, boat timetables and a quick chat, James & I called the unit back and asked if we could instead come in the same day, Friday. They advised that Ward 1 was all ready and prepared for James and I to stay in and we were welcomed to come. We phoned our friends and arranged someone to look after the dogs for a few days whilst we were away. We then grabbed our hospital bags (which we had prepared earlier), scrambled the last minute bits and bobs needed for a longer hospital stay and were out the door.
It was a scary and exciting time - we knew we were leaving the house as a couple for the last time and we were going to come back with a baby. Yes, a part of me was disappointed that our plans have changed so suddenly, but I was not going to argue against doctor’s concerns or go against his medical advice. We jumped on the ferry and checked into the ward at 8.30pm on Friday 28th September.
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